About the Zurich Lecture Series

The Zurich Lecture Series in Analytical Psychology was established in 2009 by the International School of Analytical Psychology Zurich (ISAPZURICH) and Spring Journal Books to present annually new work by a distinguished scholar who has previously offered innovative contributions to the field of Analytical Psychology by either:

bringing analytical psychology into meaningful dialogue with other scientific, artistic, and academic disciplines;

showing how analytical psychology can lead to a better understanding of contemporary global concerns relating to the environment, politics, religion; or

expanding the concepts of analytical psychology as they are applied clinically

Each year, the selected lecturer delivers lectures over a 2-day period in Zurich based on a previously unpublished book-length work. This work will be published by Chiron Publications in a book series of which Steven Buser, M.D., Leonard Cruz, M.D. and Murray Stein, Ph.D., are the series editors.

About the Zurich Lecture Series

The Stories We Are: The Value of Abuse and Wrongdoings in Our Past

In this year’s Zurich Lecture Series, Allan Guggenbühl will talk about the stories we create from our personal life experiences, and how our basic identity can be built on these stories. Neglected child, smart Underdog, lonesome Hero… these often dramatic, tragic and heroic dramas serve as the base of our identity. They might empower us to cope with challenges and confront the future. Often they hinder us, though, to develop our potential and are the source of our fears and worries. The snag is: The stories of our personal life don’t necessary reflect what actually happened. They often consist of fictional elements that contain an archetypical core. In order to reconcile with the paradoxes, absurdities and mysteries of our lives, we need to find our story line. For this, imagination is important. Discovering and retelling our personal story will help us to become focused and find meaning in our endeavors. In this lecture (and subsequent book), the distinct features of these stories are described, as well as the role of imagination and the possibilities of Mythodrama to work and reflect on the stories we are.